This important research quantifies research waste in the field of chronic low back pain, a condition affecting billions worldwide. We advocate for trials addressing novel questions to ensure finite resources go towards effective treatments rather than producing redundant evidence; upholding research ethics. Highlighting innovative use of trial sequential analysis will provide a model for visually and quantitatively demonstrating research waste which if utilised across disciplines can ensure research prioritisation, increased production of high-value evidence-based medicine for patients, ultimately improving outcomes.
Elliott et al. (Wed,) studied this question.